Chapter 19 - The New EmpireThe heavy double doors closed behind Clare with a dull thud, leaving Adrien standing alone in the center of the grand ballroom, stripped of his company, his reputation, his mistress, and his future.
The crowd slowly turned their attention back to me. There was no pity in the room—only a profound, trembling awe.
Arthur Vance raised his glass from the front table, offering a silent toast.
I picked up my champagne flute once more, letting the bubbles tickle the rim of the glass. I looked down at Adrien, who stood slumped shoulders, defeated and entirely hollowed out by his own arrogance.
“Enjoy your freedom, Adrien,” I said quietly, loud enough for only him to hear. “You wanted a clean break. You got one.”
I turned my back on him, walking up the grand staircase without looking back once. Behind me, the string quartet resumed playing—a bright, vibrant melody that signaled the start of a completely new world.
My company. My child. My terms.
May you like
And as I reached the top of the stairs, resting a warm hand over my flat stomach, I knew one thing with absolute certainty:
The empire was finally in the right hands.
